MERS Origins and Symptoms
MERS, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is named for the region in which the first case was reported. Since the virus made its appearance on the Arabian Peninsula in 2012, nearly 800 cases have been reported and over 300 of the patients who contracted the virus have died. At present, there is no known cure for MERS. Fortunately, as of August, 2014, no new cases of the disease have been recently reported.
Origin of MERS
Precisely how this virus originated is unknown, although MERS has been found in one-humped camels, known as dromedaries, and many infected patients are known to have had close contact with camels. According to scientists, camels in Saudi Arabia have probably been infected with the virus for over 20 years, and there may have been previously undetected human cases as well.
Recently, scientists have found conclusive evidence that the virus is zoonotic, meaning it can be passed from camel to human. A Saudi Arabian man developed MERS after administering nose drops to an infected camel. DNA tests of the man and the camel demonstrated conclusively that both were infected by precisely the same strain of the virus. Now that it has been proven that MERS can be contracted from camels, the government of Saudi Arabia has taken steps to begin testing all camels in that country for the virus that, while it can be fatal to humans, does not appear to be fatal to camels.
Recent evidence has created suspicion that MERS first came to the Middle East with a shipment of camels exported from the Horn of Africa, especially Somalia. This possible connection is being explored to see if there are human, as well as camel, cases of the virus in Somalia. In the meantime, camels from this African region are being examined for signs of the disease before being allowed into Saudi Arabia.
There is also now evidence of a MERS-like virus in bats so it is speculated that bats may play a part in transmission.
Symptoms of MERS
MERS is a respiratory disease that comes from the same group of viruses as the common cold and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Symptoms of MERS, which can be mistaken for those of other respiratory illnesses, include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches
- Diarrhea
Since approximately 30 percent of those infected with MERS develop pneumonia or kidney failure and die of the disease, it is recommended that anyone who develops respiratory symptoms and who has either traveled to the Arabian Peninsula, or been in contact with someone who has, be tested for the virus. Patients with cold and flu symptoms who have not yet been tested for the virus should remain isolated to avoid potentially spreading the disease.